Cutting-edge Music Technology and Interactive Shows take center stage in upcoming developments
The Edward and Joyce Linde Music Building at MIT recently played host to an extraordinary event, "FUTURE PHASES", as part of the 2025 International Computer Music Conference (ICMC). This concert, presented by the MIT Music Technology and Computation Graduate Program, showcased a fusion of traditional string orchestra with electronic and computer-generated music, demonstrating the convergence of music and technology.
Produced in collaboration with the MIT Media Lab’s Opera of the Future Group and the Boston-based self-conducted chamber orchestra A Far Cry, "FUTURE PHASES" featured multiple premieres. The world premiere of “EV6” by Evan Ziporyn and Eran Egozy, and the U.S. premiere of Tod Machover’s “FLOW Symphony” were among the highlights. Three additional works were selected by a jury from an open call, including “The Wind Will Carry Us Away” by Ali Balighi, “A Blank Page” by Celeste Betancur Gutiérrez and Luna Valentin, and “Coastal Portrait: Cycles and Thresholds” by Peter Lane.
Egozy's piece, "EV6", utilized audience participation technology called Tutti, allowing spectators to use their cellphones as musical instruments. Each audience member became a part of an orchestral section (winds, brass, strings, etc.), immersing themselves in the performance and blurring the lines between performers and listeners.
The event also emphasized interactive audience participation, fostering an immersive concert experience. After the concert, six music technology demonstrations were showcased, featuring research from undergraduate and graduate students from both the MIT Music program and the MIT Media Lab.
Egozy expressed his hope that the MIT community, the Boston area, and beyond soon discover the amazing place and space the Edward and Joyce Linde Music Building is for music and music technology at MIT. The building, a driving force for new ways of thinking, new projects, and new ways of collaborating, was noted as a significant asset in enabling novel ways of creating in music technology at MIT.
The newly hired professor Anna Huang, creator of the machine learning model Coconet that powered Google's first AI Doodle, the Bach Doodle, was a keynote speaker for the conference. The Linde Music Building continues to serve as a beacon for innovation in music and technology, solidifying MIT's dedication to integrating advanced music technology into education and performance.
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- The Linde Music Building at MIT, a hub for music and technology, hosted the "FUTURE PHASES" concert during the ICMC.
- This event merged traditional music with electronic and computer-generated sounds, symbolizing the intersection of music and technology.
- The collaboration between the MIT Music Technology and Computation Graduate Program, the MIT Media Lab, and A Far Cry orchestra brought multiple premieres to life.
- One highlight was Egozy's "EV6", which implemented the audience participation technology Tutti, transforming spectators into virtual orchestra members.
- The concert encouraged interactive audience participation, offering a unique, immersive experience for all attendees.
- After the performance, presentations by undergraduate and graduate students from both MIT Music and the MIT Media Lab showcased their music technology research.
- Anna Huang, the new MIT professor known for creating the machine learning model Coconet, emphasized integration of advanced music technology into education and performance at the keynote.
- The Linde Music Building serves as a beacon for innovation, solidifying MIT's commitment to combining music and technology for education and self-development.
- Egozy remains optimistic that the Linde Music Building will become a significant attraction for the MIT community, Boston area, and beyond, inspiring further advancements in music technology and education.
